Borough of Carlisle Pennsylvania Biographical Sketches

Transcribed by Jeffrey Tooley

Borough of Carlisle Biographical Sketches, extracted from the History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania. Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, Schools, Churches, Industries, ect.; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania, Statistical and Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc. Illustrated, Chicago: Warner. Beers & Co., 1886.

BARNITZ, William, Biographical Sketch

WILLIAM BARNITZ, president of the Fanners Bank, Carlisle, is a native of York County. Penn., born near Hanover, July 29, 1817. His great-grandfather, John George Curl Barnitz, born December 14, 1722, undoubtedly in France (now the Prussian provinces of Alsace and Lorraine), settled in York County, where his death occurred in 1796. His children were Jacob, Daniel, John and George (twins), Michael, Susan and Barbara. John was born in York County in 1758, and died April 16, 1828, after having served as captain in the Revolutionary war. At the age of eighteen years he became ensign of Capt. Stokes' company and Col. Swope's regiment of the famous "flying camp," and was wounded at Fort Washington. He was register and recorder of York County from 1785 to 1824. His wife was a daughter of Archibald McLean, of York County. (Charles A. Barnitz, a son of Jacob, was an eminent member of the bar of York County, and served as a member of the Twenty-third Congress.) Daniel was a major in the war of the Revolution; John was a colonel in the Revolution; George was an associate judge of York County; Michael located in Lancaster County; Susan married a Mr. Eichelberger, of Baltimore. Md ; Barbara married a Mr. Lauman, of York. Daniel Barnitz, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, married Susan Eichelberger, and to them were born ten children--six sons and Four daughters. Jacob was born April 6. 1777, and was married to Miss Mary G. Etzler. and settled on a farm near Hanover, which he purchased in 1800 (now owned by a son, Daniel), and in 1836 removed to Cumberland County, where he purchased mill property, located on Yellow Breeches Creek, of John Weakley, now owned by a son, Daniel), and in 1836 removed to Cumberland County, where he purchased mill property, located on Yelloe Breeches Creek, of John Weakley, now owned by a son, Jacob E. He was a man of great energy, projected and held stock in the old Baltimore Turnpike, and took great interest in educational matters. His death occurred in 1863, aged eighty-six years. To Jacob and Mary G. (Etzler) Barnitz were born six sons and four daughters, namely: Henry, Charles, Mary (married Michael Carl, of Hanover), Susan (died unmarried), Jacob Elder. Daniel, Eliza (married Michael Bucher, of Hanover), William, Alexander, and Jane R. (died unmarried). Our subject was educated in Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, and Dickinson, at Carlisle. Subsequently he was for a time engaged in teaching schools at Frankford, Penn., and in Delaware; then returned to Carlisle and in 1851 was married to Miss Caroline M. Wonderlich, who was born in Middlesex, Cumberland County, a daughter of John and Susannah (Hettrick) Wonderlich, old settlers of that county. Mr. and Mrs. Barnitz have three sons and one daughter: John A.H., clerk and book keeper in the fanners' Bank, a graduate of Dickinson College; Jacob E., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere; S. Marion, a student in the Moravian Female Seminary, at Bethlehem, Penn.; and U. Grant, attending Dickinson College. Mr. Barnitz was one of the original stockholders in the bank of which he is now president He possesses a large farm in North Middleton Township, and is engaged in manufacturing tile, plain and unassuming gentleman and a practical business man, enjoying the confidence and esteem of the community in general. He and his family are members of the Lutheran Church.

BARNITZ, Jacob Edwin, Biographical Sketch

JACOB EDWIN BARNITZ, attorney, Carlisle, was born in that place November 9, 1854, son of William and Caroline M. (Wonderlich) Barnitz. He is a graduate of the high school and of Dickinson College--class 0f 1875. He began the study of law in the office of A. B. Sharpe, and was admitted to the bar in August, 1877, since which time he has been actively engaged in the practice of his profession. In 1884 he was a delegate to the Democratic State Convention, and has held several local offices of trust in Carlisle. He is a member of the Cumberland Star Lodge, No. 197, F& A. M., and K of P., True Friends Lodge, No. 56.